Mother of a Neurodivergent Child in Indiana Raises Concerns of Increased Cuts for ABA Services if Service Limitations Go into Effect

As Indiana lawmakers consider the state’s budget, one family tells a local news station about the effects of curtailed applied behavioral analysis services.  

TERRE HAUTE, IND. – WAWV-ABC TV in Indiana told the story of an Indiana family in which their son had benefited from full-time applied behavioral analysis treatment during their February 5th, 2025 newscast.

Newly inaugurated Indiana Governor Mike Braun (R) is considering a state budget for the 2025-2026 biennium that would limit ABA treatment to 30 hours a week with a three-year lifetime cap.

Kristin Carabb Told WAWV-TV “Public schools just aren’t equipped to be able to handle the behaviors that come along with classic or profound Autism. We go to ABA, it’s perfect for him. It’s exactly where he needs to be. If Medicaid cuts that funding, nobody is going to be able to pay out of pocket or with only primary insurance to be able to send their kids to therapy.”

Americans for Autism Advocacy opposes any attempt by Governor Braun or the Indiana General Assembly to put a three-year lifetime limit on applied behavioral analysis coverage under Medicaid.  We call on members of the Indiana General Assembly to consider the following alternatives such as:

• Public-private sector partnerships to increase ABA access for neurodivergent Hoosiers and their families that are low income or middle class.
• More stringent mechanisms to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in Indiana’s public health assistance programs.
• Reconsider how the state conducts testing for Medicaid recipients.
• Auditing all Medicaid spending made by the State of Indiana during the COVD-19 pandemic.  Governors nationwide in both parties have seen their budgets hamstrung by COVID era spending.